Carton for ming device and method



Jan. 23, 1962 Filed Sept. 14, 1959 E. E. EVANS CARTON FORMING DEVICE AND METHOD 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 JNVENToR. EQNEST E. EVANS BY www ATTOQNEYS Jan 23 1962 E. E. EVANS 3,017,809

CARTON FORMING DEVICE AND METHOD Filed Sept. 14, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENToR. EQNET E. EVANS ATTQQHEVS Jan. 23, 1962 E. E', EvANs CARTON FDRMING DEVICE AND METHOD v Filed Sept. 14, 1959 IN VEN TOR.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ERNEST E. EVANS BY LvONJ 00N @mi TTOQNEVS 3,017,809 CARTON FORMING DEVICE AND METHOD Ernest E. Evans, 1425 11th St., Riverside, Calif. Filed Sept. 14, 1959, Ser. No. 839,946 6 Claims. (Cl. 931-36) This invention has to do with the art of forming cartons, and relates more particularly to apparatus for and method of forming cartons for packaging fresh citrus fruit such as oranges and grapefruit.

Conventional cartons used for this purpose consist of two telescopically assembled, rectangular, half-cartons. That is, the bottom half has sidewalls, is open at its top end and has bottom pairs of flaps which depend from the sidewalls to be folded inwardly and adhered together; while the top half is open at its bottom end and has sidewalls presenting top pairs of aps to be folded inwardly and adhered together. The blanks from which the cartons are to be formed are supplied to the fruit packing houses with the sidewalls connected together in side edge to side edge relationship and with the llaps in an unfolded condition.

It has long been conventional practice rst to telescopically assemble two such carton halves, fold two opposite ones of the bottom end iiaps inwardly into position norm-al to the sidewalls, and place the thus assembled cartons ou a conveyor with the two remaining bottom llaps of the bottom half depen-ding alongside the conveyor, and with the flaps of the top half unfolded. The cartons are then lilled with fresh fruit through the open top end and, as the thus assembled andlled carton is moved by a conveyor, an adhesive coating is applied to one pair of the aps of the top half and to one pair of the iiaps of the bottom half, and the remaining flaps are then folded inwardly so that the two sets of flaps of each half are adhered together to form end closures.

A serious diiculty experienced with this conventional practice is that the fruit with which the assembled carton halves is filled presses outwardly on the sidewalls of the carton while the adhesive is setting, tending to cause the filled carton to bulge outwardly, often causing the iiaps to some extent to be pulled apart. Thus, instead of the carton having its sidewalls disposed parallel and at right angles to the bottom end closure flaps along a sharp crease line at their intersections, the carton preseats a rounded appearance particularly at and near the bottom. This varies the capacity of the carton, with the result that when the carton is loaded with the prescribed number of fruit of a given size which is supposed to iill the carton, the top row of fruit is apt to be spaced below the top end of the carton sometimes by as much as two inches, which results in damage to the fruit during the handling and shipping of the lled cartons.

lt is impracticable in such conventional practice to apply inward pressure to the exterior of the sidewalls of the prepacked carton to counterbalance the outward pressure imposed by the fruit with which the carton is lled, because of the danger of compressing and damaging the contained fruit. It is well known that if one or more of the fruits in the carton should become damaged, rot is initiated and spreads to the remaining fruit in the carton.

Thus, the conventional practice results in cartons of nonuniform capacity as well as in damage to the contained fruit.

It is an object of my invention to provide apparatus and method, including novel combinations and arrangements of parts and steps, not only for forming cartons which have side and end walls disposed truly at right angles to each other along a substantially sharp crease Bi'ig Patented Jan. 23, 1962 line as well as parallel sidewalls, and therefore providing cartons of uniform capacity.

It is another object of my invention to provide apparatus and method for forming cartons in which, instead of forming the assembled cartons while they are filled with fruit to hold the bottom end aps in adhering engagement with each other during setting of the adhesive, I form the carton in separate telescopic halves before introducing the fruit, by maintaining the carton halves loaded with substantially rigid, spherical weights and counterbalancing the outward pressure imposed on the sidewalls by those weights, by applying external pressure to the sidewalls during the setting of the adhesive.

Still further and more subordinate objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

While I shall point out in the appended claims the features which I believe to be new, I shall now, for the purpose of explaining to those skilled in the art how to practice my invention, describe in substantial detail the best mode which I have thus far devised for carrying the invention into practice. I wish it understood however, that, within the broader purview of the invention as defined by the claims, it is possible to make various modifications and rearrangements which will be suggested to those skilled in the art by the following description.

For the purpose of the ensuing description I shall refer to the accompanying drawings herein.

FIG. l is a top plan view of my conveyor system showing the successive, carton forming stages of my device;

FIG. la is a perspective View of a folded at blank, pairs of which form the present cartons, showing it just after the operator has started to press it into an upright rectilinearv shape for starting along the conveyor path;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the initial conveyor unit showing, in broken lines, a carton with turnedin bottom end flaps and down-hanging side flaps starting therealong, as viewed on the line 2-2 of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical elevational View of the subsequent stages for loading the carton with weights, applying adhesive to the carton bottom, folding up the side aps and creasing the side edges thus formed;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional View taken along the line 4-4 or FIG. 3 particularly showing the tensioned mounting of the side pressure plates;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along the line 5 5 of FIG. 1, particularly showing the guide arms for turning up the side flaps of the carton after adhesive has been applied to the inturned end flaps;

FIG. 6 is an end View o-f the guide arms of FIG. 5, showing diagrammatically the action of successive sections o-f the arms in positioning the flaps;

FIG. 7 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 7-7 of FIG. 3, particularly showing the horizontally slidablemounting of the side pressure plates and the position of an attached edge forming roller therebelow;

FIG. 8 is a top plan View of the discharge end of the conveyor belt carrying the weight-loaded cartons, sho-vving the tilting of a carton to emp-ty the balls therefrom and the subsequent uprighting of the now completely formed carton; and

FIG. 9 is a side elevational view taken at the left end of FIG. 8.

In general, my apparatus provides a conveyor system by which carto-n halves are conveyed from a starting station at which a carton half is supported with its sidewalls spread apart to define a rectangular interior, with two opposed bottom end flaps folded inwardly into position normal to the sidewalls, and with the two remaining opposed bottom end aps depending alongside the support. The conveyer system then moves the carton through another station at which the carton half is at least partially tilled with substantially rigid spherical weights; after which the carton is moved over adhesive applying rollers which coat the bottom surface of the inturned pair of aps with a suitable adhesive. Then, as the conveyer system moves the carton through an adjacent station, the depending, infolded end flaps are engaged by guides and folded inwardly against the adhesive coating on the previously inturned flaps. The conveyer system then continues to move the carton half through another station in which loaded side plates exert laterally inward pressure against the outer side surfaces of opposite sidewalls of the carton half while spring loaded creasing rollers exert laterally inward pressure against said outer side surfaces below said plates and immediately adjacent the crease line which denes the intersection of the sidewalls with the bottom end aps. Those pressures substantially equal the laterally outward pressure exerted on said side walls by the spherical weights, and the pressures are maintained while the carton half continues to be moved by the conveyer system, until the final setting of the adhesive which bonds the two pairs of end aps together. At the end of the last mentioned station or step, the cartons are tilted to remove the carried spherical weights, leaving the completed half carton ready to be filled with fruit and telescopically assembled with another like but uniilled carton half. The conveyer system then returns the removed spherical weights to the station at which they were initially deposited in the carton half, so that the weights may be redeposited in like manner in a following carton half.

Maintenance of the balanced internal and external pressures exerted on opposite side walls of the carton half is facilitated by the fact that both pressures are applied by resilient means. That is, while the individual spherical weights are not resilient, when the plurality of weights are considered as a unit, they exert a somewhat resiliently yieldable lateral force since they are free to slide or roll relative to each other, and if opposite sides of the carton half are unduly compressed towards each other the weights may slide or roll relative to each other. And, of course, the outer side pressure plates are resiliently urged against the exterior surfaces of opposite sides of the carton half in opposition to the pressure imposed by the weights.

Referring now to the drawings, at the rst stage, A, of the path of travel along my conveyor system (FIGS. 1 and 2) there is provided a generally rectangular, open frame 100 consisting of longitudinal side walls 101, 102, spaced upward from the Hoor, laterally separated from each other and supported on cross members 103 which join together, upright L-shaped end posts 104, 106 mounted on footing members or oor braces 108 and capped with a flat top 110, 111.

Spaced inwardly between the side walls lare skid rail means embodied in a slide plate 112 horizontally disposed between and below an opposing pair of inwardly converg ing guide members 114, 116, the three of which jointly define a longitudinal channel or guideway 117 for the empty cartons. A dependent pair of downwardly diverging ns 118, 119 along opposite edges of the slide plate 112 serve to hold outward the downwardly hanging side iiaps of the carton.

Spaced vertically above the side guide members 114, 116, along each side of the channel adjacent the frame sides 101, 102, is a longitudinal guard rail 120, 122, below each of which is an endless chain 124, 126 (FIGS. 1 and 2) formed with a series of transverse connecting rods 128 spaced apart approximately the length of a carton 130 so that such a carton can be placed upon the slide plate 112 between successive pairs of cross rods 128 `and pushed along by the latter while being centered in the channel by the converging lateral guides 114, 116. n each side of the channel, a vertically spaced pair of idler sprockets 132, 134 (FIG. 2) mounted within the respective end posts 104, 106, guide the respective endless chain in its return path beneath the channel, upward at the end and thence forward beneath the guide rail 120.

These chains convey successive boxes -through subsequently described stages for applying adhesive to the bottom of inturned end aps and then turning up the side flaps thereagainst, the chains ending their forward travel in passing over sprocket wheels 136, 138 from whence the chains are conveyed downward and back to the starting point underneath the frame.

At the beginning of the channel, an operator picks up a Hat-folded carton, (FIG. la), positions the already connected side walls (a, b, c, d) upright in rectangular form, folds in the bottom end aps (f, g) horizontally and places the same on the slide plate with the side flaps (h, i) extending downward along each lower edge. Accord ingly, as the centered carton is continuously moved into the subsequent section B through an entrance cage formed by -connected upright and transverse slats 137, it passes between a laterally opposed pair of inwardly tensioned, spring guides 139 (FIG. 3) which center it between side braces 140 as it is pushed to a position below a laterally, inwardly extending, overhead chute 141 from which a measured supply of spherical weights 142 drop into the carton.

For this purpose, rigid steel balls are preferably used because of their weight and their ready availability. In general, any substantially rigid spherical weight having a minimum diameter of about one-half inch may be used, such as other heavy metals, stone, cement, etc. The balls which I presently use are about two inches in diameter, in other words, somewhat smaller than oranges. In order to reduce noise the weights or balls are preferably coated with a sound-deadening material, such as plastic. In practice, I prefer to substantially fill the carton with the weights.

For handling the balls, or weights, a substantially horizontal, ball-delivery channel 147 is transversely contricted to form a metering passage 149 (FIG. 1) which permits a predetermined or known weight of balls to be carried therealong by the conveyor belt 230 in the time required for successive cartons 130 to pass under the ball-delivery chute 141. Since the balls, when subsequently emptied from individual glued cartons, do not immediately constitute a continuous stream of uniform volume, they are thus converted to a constant feed rate by movement of the return conveyor belt 230 from the outlet of the restricted channel 149.

As a synchronized unit of the weigh delivery system, at the same time that a carton passes beneath the ball delivery chute 141, there is moving horizontally, just above the carton, an endless chain 143, 144 (FIG. 3) supported between opposing pairs of upright arms 145 and carrying successive pairs of transverse rods 146, 148 spaced apart a distance less than the diameter of a ball 142 so as to prevent the falling balls from passing between each pair of rods. The pairs of cross rods 146, 148 are separated along the chain by the length of a carton, and the endless chain 143, 144, moving synchronously with the carton-pushing chains 124, 126, each pair of cross rods 146, 148 substantially occupies the space between successive cartons and thereby prevents balls which miss the cartons from falling into this cross passage. In the event that the cross rods do not detlect such a ball to one side or the other, but occasionally support one between them, there is provided a downwardly projecting, transverse, wiper member 150 (FIG. 1) spaced just above the moving rods beyond the chute 141 so as to deflect into the rear carton any such ball which may have ridden along on the rods.

For ultimately sealing the composite bottom of each carton, the cartons during the latter part of the ball-receiving movement, pass over a parallel pair of vertically positioned, paste rollers 152, 154 projecting upward from a tank or reservoir 156 located beneath the guideway so that the rollers, being either driven or moved by contact with the passing carton against their upper face, will pick up adhesive from the tank below and apply it against the exposed bottom face of the moving carton, that is, upon the inturned end flaps (f, g). In this connection it may be noted that the presence of the balls in the carton makes more certain the application of the adhesive to the bottom flaps since the weight presses the carton firmly against the adhesive wheels, both to insure joint movement of the wheels and carton, and to aid in transferring the adhesive from the rollers to the carton surface.

Thence the carton continues to be moved by the cross rods 128 onto another slide plate 15S (stage C) formed with three slightly upwardly projecting, longitudinal ribs 160. Movement of the carton along the plate serves in a measure to evenly spread the adhesive coating, while at the same time a pair of downwardly extending, progressively inwardly converging, positioning guide ns 162, 164 (FIGS. 5 and 6) progressively turn up the respective adjacent side flaps (h, i) of the carton from an initial, down-hanging position 165 to a subsequent one 168 immediately beneath the slide plate, so as to dispose them substantially parallel to the inturned, bottom-coated end flaps (f, g). The parallel ribs 16? are spaced apart by a distance somewhat greater than the width of the respective adhesive rollers 152, 154 so as to approximately define the bands of adhesive coating placed thereby on the carton surface.

It may be noted that the width of each end flap (f, g) is approximately the same as the end walls (a, b) but the adjacent inturned cross edges thereof do not necessarily have to meet in forming the bottom, although the longitudinal edges of the side flaps (h, desirably do ultimately meet in edge abutment, conveniently medially along the bottom.

The cartons are now transferred to a bottom-supporting, endless belt coiiveyer 170, which receives them with the side flaps (h, i) now turned up in registration with the bottom-coated end aps (f, g) as they pass off of the slide plate 158 (FIG. 5). Accordingly they are conveyed to my edge forming section D, shown in detail in FIG. 3. As a representative example of the force which is to be handled or balanced in the subsequent edge formation, each open-topped carton measuring 17" x 101/2 x 12" now contains about 25 to 30 pounds of weights pressing down upon the bottom glued aps, as well as of course pressing laterally outwardly in all directions, as the unit travels at a typical rate of about 300 cartons per hour.

The channel of stage D is underlaid with transverse, idler rollers 171 over which passes an endless belt 170, carrying the weighted cartons on its upper face between a pair of centering side arms 172, 173. The rollers 171 are mounted between parallel, L-shaped, angle irons 167, 169 (FIGS. 1 and 7) which define a gradually ascending path for the conveyer belt 170 in order to facilitate the subsequent return of the balls from the elevated terminus.

Each side of the stage D channel is provided with adjustable side pressure means for mutually engaging the moving, bottom-sealed and weighted carton as 1t passes therebetween. As here exemplified, inward from the channel entrance, there is mounted along each side, a pair of upright supports 174, 176 spaced apart therealong and connected across the channel by a top supporting brace 177 (FIG. 1). Between each lateral pair is an upright pressure plate 178, along the outer face of which are carried three generally parallel shafts 180, 182, 184, journaled in corresponding bracketed bearings 186 riveted to the plate at 187 and connected at their upper ends for joint rotation by belts 188, 190 respectively. At its lower extremity each shaft carries a horizontally disposed, carton-engaging roller 192 having its contact face knurled or formed with vertical ribs or ridges 193 (FIG. 7), each wheel being in mutual longitudinal alignment and positioned immediately above the conveyer belt so as to be in line with the lower inturned edge of the carton or immediately thereabove.

Each pressure plate and its dependent rollers are inwardly tensioned as a unit. For this purpose each side post 174, 176 carries a horizontal, outwardly projecting yoke member 194 (FIG. 7) formed with a longitudinal, generally rectangular opening or slot 196. The adjacent face of the pressure plate 178 is, in turn, formed with an outturned bracket arm 198 secured by a cross pin 199 to a link 200 which carries on each end thereof a roller 202, 204 spaced apart outwardly in the slot 196 so as to move therealong within the limits of the yoke 194 and thus dening the extent to which the plate 178 may be moved horizontally.

In approximate horizontal alignment, parallel with each opposing trio of pressure rollers 192 and spaced thereabove, are three outwardly projecting studs or terminally threaded shaft 206 (FIG. 4) freely movable through corresponding apertures 208 of the pressure plate 178 and stationarily mounted as by threaded engagement of each inner end and with the adjacent side guide 173, which in turn is secured against the inner face of uprights 174, 176 by rivets 219 (FIG. 3). Each stud carries a coil expansion spring 212 disposed about it and seated against a terminal adjustment nut 214, threaded on the outer end of the stud, the opposite end of the spring accordingly entering an outwardly opening well or socket l216 and thus pressing against a portion of the outer face of a bearing bracket 186 which is secured to the outer face of the pressure plate 178 by rivets 187.

Accordingly the plate 178 is seen to press inward against the adjacent side of the moving carton along a more or less medial band of the same, balancing the outward or lateral pressure of the balls 142. At the same time, movement of the dependent rollers 19'2 creases the lower, outer, longitudinal edge of the carton at an approximate angle between the bottom and side walls, simultaneously forcing the inner longitudinal edges of the up-turned side flaps (h, i) together frictionally in edge abutment, while the adjacent lateral edges of the upturned end flaps (f, g) (within the carton) form an inner longitudinal abutment for the sides (c, d) along the creased edge. By means of the nuts 214, the tension of the pressure plates can be readily adjusted to accommodate dilerent size cartons and/ or to balance diierent carried weights.

After passing beyond the pressure plates and rollers of section D, the cartons are conveyed by the belt between side guard rails 218, 219 (which do not necessarily touch the cartons) for a predetermined distance, e.g. approximately sixty feet, during which time the adhesive sets and the bottom flaps and edges, held in place by the down-pressure of the balls 142, are thus set in permanent position, the conveyor 170 conveniently being inclined along an upward path to facilitate subsequent return of the balls.

Means are then provided for automatically removing the Weights. Adjacent the end of the belt 170, each carton is contacted by an endless, laterally positioned chain 22@ (FIG. 8) driven by motor No. 2 and formed with a continuous series of cleats 222 spaced apart along its inner edge and adapted to attach themselves to a carton wall without penetrating the same. The chain is directed both upward along the side of a carton and at the same time laterally so as to deflect or tilt it onto its opposite side as it is moved along on a bottom slideway 224.

Along the opposite side of the slideway is longitudinally disposed a tubular guide rail 226- which serves as a stop and abuts against the open top of the toppled carton 13th: as it is disposed on its side, thus allowing the balls to run out onto a return conveyor belt 230 which returns them to the delivery chute 141 for reuse in a continuous manner. The empty carton is then pushed along on its side by successive cartons in the line, and a subsequent inturned, deflector arm 228 of the guide rail shoves it 7 over a curved longitudinal positioning ridge 234 of the slideway 236 so as to drop it back on its bottom from whence it is again pushed along to another conveyor belt 232 by which it can be taken to subsequent citrus packing stations (not shown).

It will be apparent that the carton-moving, chain conveyor 124, 126 of stages A, B, and C, and the overhead ball-deecting, endless chain 143, 144 of stage B, as well as the ball-return belt 230 should be moved synchronously, conveniently by the same drive means. If desired, the conveyor belt 170 of stage D as well as the cartontilting chain 220 can also be operated from the same power source. Particularly when adapting pre-existing conveyor systems to the present invention, various ways of connecting the existing drive means with the several units will suggest themselves. The presently illustrated operating connections are depicted as one such convenient arrangement of pre-existing conveyor units, although by no means unalterable in their connection details.

Motor No. 1 (section C) connected, through belts 10, 11 to wheel 12, which is on a joint shaft 13 with opposite wheel 14, by chain drive 15 to sprocket wheel 16, drives the inner belt 18 which turns shaft 20 on which the paste rollers 152, 154 are mounted.

Passage of weighted cartons in engagement with the tensioned edge-rollers 192 causes the latter, through their respective upright shafts 180, 182, 184 mutually connected by belts 188, 190, and finally through the belt 240, to drive bevel gears 242, 244, the latter being on cross shaft 246 which carries the chain 21 back to sprocket 22, which is on a joint shaft 23 with gear 24 which meshes with gear 25 on shaft 26, which in turn carries a sprocket wheel 28 from which a chain 30 connects another sprocket wheel 32 (FIG. 1) which is on a shaft 33 which drives the ball conveyor belt 230.

Going back to another sprocket 34 on the shaft 26, the latter is connected by chain 35 to the lower sprocket 36. Gear 38, on a common shaft 39, meshes with gear 40 on shaft 41, which carries sprocket 42 which, by belt 46 to sprocket 47 on shaft 48, drives the overhead endless chains 143, 144 which carry the pairs of cross rods 146, 148 which keep the balls 142 from dropping in the spaces between successive cartons. The stage A chains 124, 126 which carry the initial cross rods 128 are moved synchronously with the stage B overhead chains 143, 144 by means of belt connection between shafts 39 and 52 (FIG. 3).

I claim:

1. In apparatus for adhering together adhesive coated superimposed bottom closure flaps of an open-topped paperboard carton, means operative simultaneously to exert downward pressure on said flaps and outward pressure against the interior surfaces of the side walls of said carton during the setting of said adhesive, comprising separate rigid spherical weights, weight deposit means for introducing said weights into said carton through the open top thereof, spring loaded pressure plates disposed to impose inward pressure against the exterior surfaces of said side walls, creasing rollers rotatably engaging the exterior surfaces of said walls at the bottom edge portions thereof, and conveyor means for supporting and moving said carton relative to said plates and creasing rollers during the setting of said adhesive.

2. The apparatus of claim l which additionally includes means for dumping said Weights from said carton `after said adhesive has set, and means for returning said weights to said weight depositing means.

3. The apparatus of claim l wherein said outward pressure exerted on the inner surfaces of said side walls by said weights and the inward pressure exerted on the exterior surfaces of said side walls by said plates are substantially equal.

4. The apparatus of claim l wherein said pressure plates and said rollers are adjustable relative to said conveyor means.

5. The method of retaining superimposed adhesive coated bottom closure flaps of an open topped paperboard carton in engagement with each other during the setting of said adhesive and simultaneously maintaining the side walls of said carton perpendicular to said aps, which comprises exerting substantial equal yieldable opposed outward and inward pressure on said side walls during the setting of said adhesive, and exerting down- Ward pressure on said flaps.

6. The method of claim 5 which additionally includes continuously moving said carton along a predetermined path during the setting of said adhesive while exerting creasing pressure against the exterior bottom edge portions of said side walls.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,547,963 Neal Apr. 10, 1951 2,615,375 Rowe et al. Oct. 28, 1952 2,627,153 Stencil Feb. 3, 1953 2,691,260 Schlemmer Oct. l2, 1954 2,898,820 Keely Aug. 11, 1959 

